Electric connecting system for the purposes of telecontrol



Nov. 15, 1927. 1,648,915

M. SCHULER ELECTRIC CONNECTING SYSTEM FOR THE PURPOSES OF TELECONTROL Filed March 8, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I nil/ 677 301 MWGW, v Y 911M 44. yaw/7 diiiys.

ELECTRIC CONNECTING SYSTEM FOR THE PURPOSES OF TELECONTROL Filed March 8, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 17712671707 Max SDhZl/ZGZ,

.9 M' MW wigs Patented Nov. 15 1927.

UNITED STATES PATE NT OFFICE.

MAX SGHULER, OF GOTTINGEN, GERMANY.

Application filed March 8, 1924, Serial No. 697,771, and in Germany March 6, 1923.

My invention relates to improvements in electric connecting systems for the purpose of telecontrol, and more. particularly to an electric system for the remote release of a signal or relay, for the remote operation of automatic steering gear or similar purposes, in which the dial or indicator of a compass operates an electrical contact, as soon as it indicates a predetermined degree or deviates by a certain extent from a certain position. The known systems of this kind cooperating with the. ormer contact device,

of an auxiliary dial mechanically driven with increased'speed from the main compass dial in known manner, so that for the connection the positions and contact devices of the main dial and of the auxiliary dial are simultaneously decisive. By this arrangement, the large angular motion pf the auxiliary'dial is thus utilized for the contact making for the connecting system, so that contact takes plaoejaccurate to a fraction of a degree, and wear and tearof the contacts cause no notice ble error. -At the same time, the connecti 11 across the main dial may'serve to prevent those faulty connections which would otherwise be caused by the fact that during one revolution of the main dial, the auxiliary dial which rotates quicker in the desired ratio of transmission, frequently repeats its connecting position. With this object in view, the arrangement may, for instance, be so made that the main .dial interrupts the circuit of the auxiliary dial'for corresponding arts of its circle of rotation or short-circuits it and takes overthe connection itself. The invention thus aims at a similar manner of operation for the electric telecontrol or remote c'ontrol by means of a contact device operated by a compass, as is already known in the field of mechanics in the striking mechanism of glocks, n whi h the j hour finger operates the preliminary release and the minute finger-the main release. In a similar manner, the main dial in my inventlon undertakes, so to say, the preliminary connection and the quicker revolving auxiliary dial the main connection.

everal embodiments of my invention are illustrated, by way of example, in the drawing affixed to this specification and forming partthereof. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagram of connections in conjunction with a device for adjusting the contacts. 7

Fig. 2 is a side-elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 to 6 are further modifications of my invention in merely diagrammatic representation.

Similar parts are indicated by the same letters of reference throughout all-the figures of the drawings.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the contacts of the main and auxiliary dials are connected in series so that the circuit is closed only in a definite position of the main dial with the result that the relay R in this circuit will be ener 'zed only when the vessel follows a de nite course; The main dial a is fixed upon the spindle or shaft n. The auxiliary dial 6 is fixed upon the spindle 0. Both dials are coupled together by the spur gearing g, i, h. In the illustrated case,- the auxiliary dial is rotated four times as fast as the main dial. The main dial carries the contact 0, the auxiliary dial the contact (Z. Opposite .to the said moving contacts are dis osed the stationary contacts '6 and 7. 1 eillustration shows the system with the contacts closed. E is the source of current. The places for fro making and breaking the contacts on the main and auxiliary dial are connected in series. When the dials revolve, the interruption of the circuit takes place at the contacts (1, f of the auxiliary dial, since it revolves quicker than the main dial. When the auxiliary dial makes contact again after.

termined position by closing the circuit 0t the relay R by means of the contacts a, object similar to that heretofore described and (Z, 7, the relay R actuating the signal in the well known manner. Thus the control according to Fig. 1 may be used, for instance,

whena ship steers towards a port under a certain course, or when bearings are to be taken to a beacon light under a certain angle of the compass card. The control according to Fig. 1 also may be used on warships to release a signal in the well known manner by means'ofthe relay .R, when a gun. barrel or torpedo tube, during their training at a certain mark, reach the same direction as the sighting telescope in the commanders tower.

In order to bring about the connection at another compass indication, the stationary contacts e and f are made adjustable in relation to the corresponding dials. With this object in View, the contacts-e and f are moun ,t ed on gear wheels in and Z, which are loosely d'isposed upon the spindles n and 0 of the dials and are coupled together by the pinion m. The gear wheels is and l consequently do not take part in the rotations of the dials, but may be rotated by turning the wheel m. l

Inasmuch as the contact 7 must be rotated quicker than 6, the transmission ratio 7cl is made equal to the ratio of transmission h. This adjustment may naturally equally well be applied to the systems described further on, although it is not shown in connection with them for the sake of clearness. The current is conducted to the dials of the compass, in a well known manner, by contact rings a: and y cooperating with the contact Springs .9 and t and .to the gear wheels is and l y contact rings 00 and 3 cooperating with the contact springs u and '0.

Referring to Fig. 3, the connection for the closed circuit of the relay R is shown. The circuit is only to be interrupted at a certain position of the dials. Each dial is provided with a conducting ringc', d, which is split only at one point. The contacts of the main and auxiliary dials are connected in parallel. The manner of operation is very similar to that of the device shown in Fig. 1. If the contact of the main dial a is interrupted at e, the relay remains still in circuit across the contacts 01, f of the auxiliary dial Z). No opening spark is thus produced at 0', e. Only when the exact position of the dials has been reached and the contacts d, f of the auxiliary dial are broken as well, the relay is set in operation. An opening spark' is produced at the contacts d, 7 only. If on the other hand, the contact (1, f is broken againafter a complete revolution of the aux iliary dial, the contact 0 of the main dial has temporarily closed the circuit and the relay does not operate. The control according to Fig. 3 may be used to effect the release of a signal in a manner and for an pieces 7 and f in connection with Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs and 5, connections are shown by means of which, according to the sense of deviation, a different relay is to be operated, as necessary, for instance, in the automatic steering of ships. Opposite to the contact 0 of the main dial a, there are two contact semi-rings e and e which are electrically connected with the relays R and B. These relays are put in circuit according to the sense of the deviation of the dial a. In Fig. 4, there is also an auxiliary relay R connected in series with the contact 0, which puts the contact r in circuit, as soon as. the main dial a reaches the disconnecting position. This contact 1 closes the circuit of the auxiliary dial, which now takes over the connection of the relays R or R respectively, with the contact d at the two contact The exact disconnecting position is thus controlled by the auxiliary dial, while for larger angular movements the main dial takes over the connection.

Care must' be taken, that when the main dial has turned through an angle of 180, the

auxiliary relay'R" does not put the contact 1- in circuit, as otherwise a wrong connection would result. p

If it is desired to avoid the auxiliary relay R, the connection according to Fig. 5 may be chosen. At the contact semi-rings e and 0 a contact segment w is provided at the split. which is adapted to be put in circuit by the contact 0 of the main dial and thus supplies voltage to the contact (1 of the auxiliary dial, which now takes over the connection at the contact pieces f and F.

The switching in of contact (1 must take place prior to the switching out of semirings 6 and c and the cutting out of the rings 7 andv f subsequent to the cutting out of the semi-rings e and 6 No sparks will then be produced at the contacts 0, e 0 and 10, since the cutting out takes place only, when the corresponding relay is already put in circuit across the second circuit. A breaking spark appears only at the contact (i of the auxiliary dial. This also holds good for Figures 1' and 3. The contacts of the main dial must be so constructed that they make or break contact later than the contacts of the auxiliary dial. A spark is then produced at the contact of the auxiliary dial only, and not at the contact of the main dial. Since, however, the auxiliary dial reproduces the com- Referring to Fig. 6, a system of connections is shown in which the main dial a alone takes over the changing over of the relays R 'and R The auxiliary dial interrupts by means of contact ring f the circuit only for the period of changing over. The object of this arrangement is to avoid the breaking spark at the main dial, since disturbances may occur with the short switching paths. The arrangement must be such that the contact d-f only closes the circuit, when the main dial has carried out the connection at the contacts e or 6 respectively.

In order to avoid a wrong interruption of the current after one revolution of the auxiliary dial, a contact ring 3 is concentrically disposed to the main dial, which supplies voltage to the contact 0. This ring has only one gap in the vicinity of the connecting place (a -e It will be readily understood that I do not limit myself to the exact details of the constructions illustrated by way of example, v 25 and that these may bemodified 1n many ways by those skilled in the art within the ambit of my claims without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Apparatus of the character described having, in combination, a compass operated main contact device, an auxiliary contact device, means driving said auxiliary contact device from said main contact device at in, creased speed, said main contact device having cooperating segmental contact members and a relatively movable contact member of less efiective Width than thespace between adjacent ends of said segmental members, and also having a third segmental, contact member fixed relative to the first mentioned segmental members and bridging the space between said adjacent ends, said auxiliary contact device having segmental contact members cooperating with a relatively movable contact member, the latter in electrical communication with said third segmental contact member of said main contact device,

compass to the space between said adjacent ends of said segmental cont-act members of said device, and means for causing said relatively movable contact member of said main contact device to control the connections for the remaining movement of the compass. 2. A compass contactin system, having in combination, a main diaI, a contact device upon said dial, an auxiliary dial, a contact device upon said auxiliary dial, means for driving said auxiliary dial from said main dial with increased speed, and means for adjusting said contact devices, said means being adapted to adjust the contacts of one of said dials in relation to the contacts of the other of said dials in the ratio of transmission between said'dials.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. 

